The Legend of Five
by The Wet Noodle
Summary: A legand about before. A story, few know, that you happen to come across. A legand of five demonic unicorns in appearence, good at heart, become heros.
1. A Death

**_The day melted into_** night on a tall stone mansion in Balinor. The lights on the bottom floor in the ballroom leaked through the windows and onto the earth. Laughter could be heard through the panes, the joyful women voices and the low chuckles of the men. Those passing peered with small curiosity at the tiny mansion then their attention was averted. But more than just the presence of humans were in the area.

Instead of the normal wood stable, this one was stone as the mansion nearby. Inside was the smell of fresh straw and dung. Every now and then a snort could be heard. Five monsterous Uunicorns stood in the dark. Their coats were midnight black, eyes demon red and horns of steel. Their hooves were metalic looking and teeth vampire-like.  
  
They were mounts of terror, beasts that many other unicorns despised. These five were about to make a wonderous tale, that no unicorn would forget. Yes, the demon ones of good, the killers of the darkness. You never know what forms heros will take of....

**_Karlo stood in the endless plains_**, brown coat sparkling. He may be look of an ordinary Unicorn, yet he was acually a Celestial unicorn. Yet not in the Celestial Vally where he should be. He wasn't on the right side of the Gap becaue he was a retired warrior, wanting solitude. His greatest tale was that of his battle with Carhi.  
  
In a dark time he was sent to save the unicorns by battling the evil Carhi. Carhi's mate had given birth to a young colt three days before the battle. It was bloody. But Karlo came on top, killing Carhi, leaving the young colt, Yolise, fatherless.  
  
But Karlo's battles had stopped for now and he stood happily in the endless plains, free of trouble or pain. The sun set and night seeped in when a black form slowly was stroding towards Karlo. He stared interested, wondering what wanderer was coming through. Maybe he would bring news.  
  
The strangers features came in. He was one of them! A demon unicorn. The other stopped and both locked eyes and stood stock still. The breeze seemed to stop and time to freeze. Karlo felt fear clutch his heart like a cold hand. This stranger was not a nice one; not at all. Then...it all exploded.  
  
The demon one charged, his horn coming closer. 3 inches of the horn was purple. Karlo deflected with his horn, making the others head turn and stumbled. Karlo struck, his horn making a gash on the demon ones hip. The red goo gushed deep red and ozzed like puss. The demon unicorn bellowed. He swung his head and the horn went 2 inches in Karlo's stomech.  
  
Karlo would have laughed, this stranger was a horriable fighter. Yet he had a feeling the demon unicorn was holding back. He leaped forward and the two began to spare, horns like swords. The hard iron horn and bone like one were hard to size up, each hard enough to crush the other. But then Karlo felt weaker and light-headed. The two pulled apart.  
  
Karlo examined the others horn from a distance and with horror realized that purple bit of the others iron horn was poisen. That was why the demon was holding back, it just wanted an easy job of killing him. Karlo felt weaker and fell on his fore-knee's, rump in air. Then his rear came down too.  
  
Sorrow filled the Celestial unicorn as his eyes began to glaze. Laughter rang in his ears. "Who are...who sent you here" Karlo whispered. The stranger replyed. "I am Jestin, dark commander, sent to kill you as you can see. Your death will send meesage that our leader, Yolise, will rein supream!" he bellowed.  
  
Karlo felt horror as he reckonized the name. His eyes completely glazed over as the poisen entered his heart and layed down his head. Then the blackness took over. Karlo, warrior legend, was dead.

__

_**Two days later the Unicorn**_ gossip reached the little stone mansion. One of the black mounts, a fae called Leelo, went out with the miss of the mansion for a joy ride when they stopped next to gossiping two year old fillies speaking of Karlo's death of poisen and the dark commander. Leelo, shocked by the legends downfall, almost forgot to go when the miss commaned.  
  
After going through what seemed a trot forever in the little feilds beyond the village, Leelo returned and told this to her fellow black friends. All the others were amazed as well. "Itz horriable" stated Lest, a demon mount from France. "Of course" said Leelo. Then silence. All were thinking the same thing. 'We must do something'.  
  
When the dark fell and all was silence. The miss and master of the cozy mansion fell asleep around 9:00 p.m. and when the clock chime 11:00 p.m there was a crashing in the stable, and the wooden doors broke down and the beating of five sets of metalic hooves rang out. The black ring of unicorns didn't know where to go. They went through the village and the little feilds.  
  
At midnight they were far east from their cozy home. "Its not too late to turn back" said the frightened fae Geogin, who was the smallest and only of 4 years. "We can't. Haven't you heard the rumers? The other unicorns will come, try to destroy us. They say it was a demon unicorn..." said Leelo. No more arguement from the other four, knowing the it was truth. By morning, the five demons were gone.


	2. Ally in the Forest

The sargent raised his head. Five black forms fled from the way of the viallge. Too big for any for than unicorn or horse. He snorted. Were these the demon unicrons he had been sent to recruit. He needed to get a closer look to see if they be unicorn or horse; demon or wanderer. If they were Celestial he'd be in REAL trouble.  
  
Sighing, the sargent, Kort, reared and sprang from the night, towards the forest in which he saw the five forms enter. His demon eyes darted around as he slowed from gallop to canter as he entered through the low canopy on the border of the forest and inside full of oaks and pines insead. He entered the darkness.  
  
Lest led the five into the forest. He was the master favorite mount for traveling toward the small city far away. But it took long to get there and the forest was the half-point. "We rest here" he commanded. The others obeyed and lay down to rest beside a creek. It was dark and their red eyes glinted. Geogin placed her hooves firmly in the steam and lowered her chest in it.  
  
Geogin then collapsed for the heck of it, not wanting to strain to wash herself. Lagging behind most of the jouney, her compainions speed created dust that covered her. She heard Lest say "I shall scout the area for some food and danger. Dawe, accompiny me will you?" He left with Dawe, the stallion who was his friend to the end, hoof beats growing fainter in the remaining 3 ears.  
  
Lest and Dawe trotted the area. Squrrils and Chipmunks gleefully scampered up trees and over stumps. The many dead leaves that had been uncovered when winter snow broke into the spring crunched under hoof. They found many berrie bushes and the two examined them throughly to make sure none of them would contain poisen or something unhealty. Then left them alone and headed back towards the river where they left the faes.  
  
Dawe suddenly stopped. A scent of anouther stallion rang in his nostrils. He followed the scent and Lest followed, soon picking up the scent too. The shape of a black stallion soon loomed and the two pinned their ears and barred their teeth to the shape still unfocused.  
  
"Hallo!" Kort cried out, his vioce peiceing the still air. When he had got close enough to see those demon red eyes like his trough the thick mist beside this end of the river. The two brutes he had found were suprised to see a demon unicorn unlike he who was releaved. The taller one replyed in a french accent "Who are you stranger" he said, making the the S in stranger sound like a Z.  
  
"I am sargent Kort of the dark army. We who see to rein over the evil humans and the mischeivous Celestial unicorns! They will fear the rath of Yolise and his followers!" the sargent said, as he had been told to.  
  
"Never! The dark ones kill and we hate death" spat the shorter one. He sprang forward his teeth ready to rip. "PEACE! PEACE!" cried Kort. "I am but a fearful sargent, following orders so as not to be slain! I as much as you do dislike this darkness. But I beg of you, do not harm me!"  
  
The one slowed as the french demon one nodded. "I am Lest. This is my friend Dawe. We seek not to harm those who seek not to harm us" he said and shot a peirceing glare at Dawe. "Thank you, my friends. I am Kort. I hope a new allience has grown. I must say all five of you overpowered me, or I might be murdered. I will return in a few days when I am on an assinment and maybe I can help warn you and guide you from the dangers"  
  
The two looked thoughtful at the peace offering of the frightened stag before them. "Fine. We shall remember you Kort. May we meet again" said Lest. Dawe nodded in agreement. Kort bowed. "Thank you my new friends. My you travel safely" he said. Then they turned and head away. Kort sighed and troted to some thorns. He braced himself for pain and rammed through and back to make himself look wounded. He shuddered in pain when it was over and left to meet Yolise and his displeasure and probly a punishment. 


	3. Dissappearance and Starlight Traveling

(Notes: Thank you Lightfoot for your praise and yes, ita obvios probly no unicorn can come from france yet lets ignore that fact, for its fun to dream, no? May I ask for more reveiw my friends? I hope I get plenty for reading or after my 5th chapter I might stop writing and start anouther story before returning to see if you oblige my friends. I know, I'm very evil! NAUGHTY ME! Mwuhahaha)  
  
Lest bounded through the thing forage, Dawe in toe. The had to imform their compainions of this unexpected friendship. After learning of this the oldest of the mares, Leelo, spoke. "Aye. This is very out of the blue my friends but lets make best of it" she said. "Aye" Geogin agreed. The 5 slept the night peacefully. In the morning they heard a voice. "Now let us make haste!" ordered Lest. The other four arose from their resting and again the 5 made way. They came out of the forest, quickly escaping the low canopys, in which they bent their necks to stop collision with them. They went onward, stopping now and then to graze and rest. "We is almost their, my friends" Lest said at one point. They faces brightened as they neared the village. When the village came in site, they all save for Lest stared in wonder.  
  
The straw drapped across the many of the wooden huts were damp, besides those who decied to change the straw already. There was really no need for the straw, only for covering leaks in which rain water would leak through. This town was really old fashioned, not like many others. No people walked about, going on their daily chores and work like when Lest usually came here. The 5 went through to the stable Lest usually roasted in when he came here. "Dawn almost breaks" Leelo said, although Geogin insisted they travel on. "We must rest the day, or perish the troubles of people" she said. Lest showed them the abandoned stable that was on the outside of town. No unicorns perched inside. The 5 went in examining the contents. It was a average stable with stalls and four windows. The lofts hay was old and musty, most not fit for eating. A old halter was put up that needed bad oiling.  
  
The five unicorns took to a stall of their own and nestled in. Soon they layed their heads to rest. Tomarrow they would go and drink deeply of more water in which ran from the forest and through the feilds. They would follow it and eventually cross it on their journey to stop the madness of the demon unicorns like themselves. They would make a legend of themselves and save the heros already living. Tomarrow...  
  
The man strode towards the stable. He was a traveler, with an evil mind at that, and was heading home. He always slept in the abandoned stable on the edge of town. He was content. He had a backpack full of a galore of food for himself to eat when he got to his home the next day. His stallion, who was barely a stallion, he had captured just yesterday. The unicorn was a demon one. His old demon horse was lonely and died of colic. He liked this demon one. He thought maybe he could capture a female and perhap get the two to produce and maybe he could make money selling the foals around weaning time. As he entered the stables the man, who was known as Rolwe, backed against the wall and clutched a hand on his chest where his heart would be. THe deathly grip of icy fear was in his heard as he stared at the five giant forms who lay around.  
  
The five were in deep sleep, their backs raiseing and falling as they slept peacefully. He stood rigid on the wall for 5 long minutes then realized something. These beasts were demon unicorns. He peered at one for a long time, the last to be Geogin. He stared at her the longest. She had barly become a mare. Perfect for his captive stag. A grin broke across Rowle's face and he pulled tip-toed to the storage room. A faint ripping sounded and he came out with three strips of a blanket. He tenderly and very slowly wrapped one around Geogins eyes so she wouldn't see and would have to follow. The her tenderly wrapped the second one around the faes mussle and made sure it was secure so she couldn't shreik for help from her fellows when she awoke. And finally he wrapped the last and longest around her neak so he could lead her.  
  
He roused the fae and tugged on the line and she got to her feet. She thought she was dreaming. "Come. Follow" said a soothing voice. "Follow..." she murmered and started walking. The looked down. More darkness. Was this blackness solidly wood like, she wondered. She was pulled across many surfaces. It felt like an hour before the voice said "Your home now. Lay down and rest". She obeyed and slowly fell asleep again.  
  
When the remaining unkidnapped four awoken they paniced to see Geogin missing. Lest gave command to search around the stables for her. To search everywhere. The three obey and galloped in different dirction calling for her. "Geogin! Geogin! Where are you!?!" their voices called. At last they gave up and sullenly gathered together. "We have to continue. Perhaps...perhaps she snuck back in daylight to home...if it is home anymore" Leelo said sadly. The others agreed solemly and they went on. They went a bit out to the river and all four visously drank, having slept all day without a drink in the dusty stable. Their thrist shoved away they went onward, following the river and again stopping to graze when they wish, and even rearing up for fresh apples on a few apple trees they discovered, to their delight. Fernly, the middle-aged mare, was the one who spotted the first and suggested they ate some.  
  
They did. The apples sweet juice would drip from their mouths as they greedily ate a few, almost completely forgetting about Geogin and her sudden dissappearance in the day. They remains of the apples lay under the tree and were left as the four demon unicorns continued on their journey. Once when they rested it was Fernly who unexpectedly straying from her long silence, as she often did, "The stars shine brighter tonight". Puzzled by the mysterious mares statement, the others were save for Leelo. "Yes, the do" said Lest, examining the twinkling balls of gas far away. "Perhaps thats a sign. Perhaps it is that out future is bright and the stars speak up tonight to tell us, even though one of out friends is missing" Fernly said. "Aye" said Leelo, understanding her closest friends strange talk.  
  
Lest smiled. So silly were these mares gossip. Finally he said "Let us trot on my friends, we ought to be moving towards the river crossing, Aye?" he said. "Aye" the others replied firmly together. They rose and went onward. Lst led the way, while Dawe brought the rear. It was as though the two were over protective mates, even though the four had never bore foal with each other. The fours hoove beat rang out, slightly above the constint chirping of a million crickets, as they sang the song they always sang every night. Once they even heard an owl let out a low hoot from a dead tree nearby that had a gaping hole in which the owl perched. "Stupid owl" murmered Dawe, who had jumped from the sudden hoot and caused him to quicken his pace until her realized what it was. The others nickered with laughter at his jumpiness.  
  
The star beamed down on the four, who weren't very worried of Geogin, for she could protect herself very well without their help. Yes, the stars glowed for their future, for a Dreamspeaker couldn't. No, they couldn't at the dangerous breed of unicorn even 4 or 5 who were set against the trouble. No, the Dreamspeaker would rather scorn the demon than aid them at their unknown quest. By starlight and moonlight they troted. And by that their legand of starlight walking begun. 


	4. A Suprise and a Crossing

Lest stood in front of the group and brought them forth as they walked under the night sky. When day broke they were halfway up the river. They went under a large willow tree to hide from other unicorns. Leelo stayed awake as guard to peer out from the long willow branches. But after 2 hours no one came. Anouther hour past and the sun began riseing more and more. Not one unicorn, Celestial or plain, came to stumble upon the four black unicorns. Anouther hour. The sun had left the ground and was hovering in the air, getting ever high in the sky, makeing its blue hue get lighter and lighter. A breeze picked up in the spring air. Leelo shook her head as her eyes almost closed. She had to stay awake her full 5 hours.  
  
The grass swayed in a small breeze. Leelo lay her head down. 'I will only rest' she thought desperatly. 'I will not close my eyes'. But her eyelids droped down ever so slowly until her eyes were only slits. Then her eyes were covered completely. She tried to yank them open but it was like they were super glued shut. She was too tired to move. All she managed to do was flick her tail. Soon the light seeping through the willow branches darkened. Her mind was closing into darkness and she couldn't stop it. The darkness took over Leelo. Suddenly she was galloping across feilds. She was a Celestial unicorn. No troubles. She was accepted and everyone was her friend. No one could hurt her. She had fallen asleep, dispite all her struggles.  
  
Celisty troted the plains happyily. Her pelt of lilac, it was easy to see she was a Celestial unicorn of the purple band. Here on a mission to find and wound demon unicorns, yet she was stopping to smell the roses. She doubted finding demon unicorns when she just headed out. Her nostrils flared, sniffing the large rose-like plants of Balinor. She looked under willow trees to chat with the birds and squirrels. She saw a willow tree that no chirping or clucking came from. 'Curious' she thought. She did a bounceing trot towards the willow tree, basiclly worried she might find some carcass of a poor unicorn being killed by a demon one. The stench of demon unicorn hit her nostrils like fire. She became more worried if what she thought was true, and it WAS a carcass of a poor unicorn that had bravly fought to defend itself.  
  
She pushed her head through the limbs and instintly pulled it back out, as though yanked. She was even more shocked to find four sleeping demon unicorns. Celisty stood there and it took her 2 minutes to recover from the shock. She had a sense of duty. Sticking her head through again she looked for the largest male, guessing it wold be the leader to attack. Sheing the largest with the longest horn, snuggled next to the largest mare, she snorted. Lowering her lilac horn she took a deep breath and plunged it for the large males stomech. She felt her bone like horn enter and the unicorn jerk awake, blood red eye wide with shock and rage. The female next to him did the same. She kicked at the other male who awoke with a start, awaking the female next to him. What a dominoe affect! She quickly pulled her horn out and backed off a bit.  
  
The large male charged out of from the veil and after her. She shreiked as the large female cut her off anf the male demon but his horn deep in her left hip. She screamed and ash she pulled away she was in a ring of black unicorns, their red eyes deep with anger from being awoke and attacked from their peaceful sleep. Celisty was terrified. "Please...please don't h-harm me..." she said. "Why not?!" asked the smaller male. "You attacked us!!" She looked down, ears pinned and body shaking in fear. "I-I'm a Celestial unicorn. They picked me to harm any demon unicorn I came across. B-but I'm too soft..." the fae admited. The four murmered in their friends ears. Celisty felt she was on trial. She was being judged. She felt a lump grow in her throat and awaited her fate.  
  
The four murmered. Leelo and Lest argued with Dawe about letting the fae off if she just promised to do something for them. Dawe gave in. Fernly stood silent, being not one ever to judge anouther. Lest finally spoke. "Well fae. I am Lest" he said. "You have wounded me but I feel I can let you go with my payback". He eyed her hip wound he imprinted on her. The mare looked down in shame. "Though if we let you go I ask of you for two things: Your name and a favor". She looked up. "I am Celisty. What is your favor Lest?" she asked. "I ask of you to go out and find out friend named Geogin. Tell her we will cross the river and wait a day for her on the other side." Lest said. She smiled an nodded. The ring broke. "Remember...if you need help just call for Lest, Dawe, Leelo, and Fernly" the stallion softly said. With that, Celisty departed.  
  
Lest sighed. He turned at the river and took a drink. The others did two. "Come" Lest said. "We leave to cross the river". He turned and cantered toward where the river would turn and they would cross. The other three cantered after. Even though it was day, they were too tense to sleep for safty. At dusk, they reached the river bend. The water was neck deep and would be dangerous to cross. Fernly, being now the weakest here, would have Dawe help her cross the rough water. Lest went first. The rapids were hard and he stroked hard to get to the other end. When he felt his legs touch hard ground he scrambled up the bank and stood panting at the other side of the river, exhusted. Leelo went next. Her struggle was a little harder. Her leg pumped and she worked hard to get to the bank. Scrambleing up too, she was more wobbley legged than Lest was.  
  
Dawe and Fernly went at the same time. All was the same as the other twos fight until the middle. Fernly lost balence and fell over, being swept a little upstream. Dawe let go of his roughly implanted feet and went over. Working with the stream her got infront of Ferly and implanted his hooves again and stopped, although almost falling over himself. Fernly regained her head and they finally got to the other side and they lay down, shivering, after moveing over to Leelo and Lest. "We will need this night and days rest. It 'tis good we will be waiting for Geogins return." Lest said. The others nodded in agreement. They all curled together to warm each other up from the cold water and returned to their sleep, exgusted. They had crossed. Now they wait.  
  
Celisty didn't know where to begin. She troted around the area about a dozen times. She couldn't even catch a whiff of demon unicorn; male or female. She sighed and as dusk fell she lay under a willow tree. She would continue the search tommarrow. Closeing her eyes a dream from the DreakSpeaker came. 'Celisty...I have seen these demons journey. Find the fae they want you to find. Go south an hour and you will find two demon unicorns, both friends of that band. Do not worry. No demon will harm you'. Then the voice faded away and Celisty jerk awoke. She sensed which way was North. Now she had to forfill the black unicorns wishes...for even the Dreamspeaker told her two. She rose and galloped hard, off to find the two other demon unicorns.  
  
(Notes: Yes, short chapter but...eh..) 


	5. Reappearance

Geogin ran beside Kort. Sweet dribbled down both ebony coats and they breathed heavily. Behind them the human Rowle gave chase, a rope swinging over his head. His mount, a brown stallion, was tiring even quicker than Geogin and Kort. "Hiya! HIYA! Faster Jake!!" commanded Rowle. Jake panted in response but galloped on. Once they started running over a mile and a half, Jake slowed. Tiredness took over and he ignored the pain of the whip until finally he was only a speak behind the two demon unicorns. They began to slow also. Against Rowles opinion, they had no attraction for each other. Finally they stopped under an willow tree. Geogin collapsed under it while Kort guarded outside, eyes flicking right and left.  
  
Celisty traveled onward. She came to a field of apple trees, with a few willows scattered about. She slowed to a trot and troted around. She could sense anouther presence. She had knew only willows could hide a unicorn so she thought she had better start looking under them. She had looked under seven before she spotted a towering black male unicorn. She froze. He froze. They both stared hard at each other, never daring let eyes leave the other unicorn. Finally Celisity knew her duty. She got the nerve to approach. Her legs were shakey and her eyes uncertain, but she walked onward until withen a good speaking distance. When she got close the stallions features came in a whole lot better. In fact, an amazingly better.  
  
He not as tall at the lead stallion she had injured a few hours ago, yet he was taller than the smaller one. Her had dark grey eyes, small nostrils and a nervous stand. She thought it was pretty...strange when he danced from hoof to hoof. "H-hello? Who are you?" she asked nervously. "Do you know a demon unicorn like you named 'Geogin'?". The stag seemed to fall to his knees with relif. His grey eyes brightened. "In fact, I'm traveling with her to her 'herd'. I'm Kort" he said and turned. He led her to a willow she hadn't checked. Going through she saw a fae, smaller than all the demon horses she had ever seen. The fae looked as though she had only become a mare. Acually, that probably was it.  
  
"Well" said Celisty. "We must cross the river. Some friends will be waiting at the bend". Geogin had an idea of who Celisty was talking about but the stallion was looking unsure. "My name is Celisty. And your Geogin. But you are...?" she asked. "Kort" the stallion said. Celisty nodded and then charged towards the river. Once reaching it, they all crossed at the same time. They helped each other, ableing to reach the bank on the other side. After shaking off the water they all galloped along side the river towards where the little group of four should be laying...  
  
The band of four waited at the river bend. It was almost night again and it was time to rise. They were about to race off when a cloud of dust and pounding hooves stopped them. Three unicorns raced forth. The first a Celestial unicorn then two demons. They waited until the three stopped before them. The four reared and whinny seeing the familiar faces of Geogin, Kort, and Celisty. "I have brought back, Geogin" said Celisty warmly. "And Kort" Geogin added. Lest nodded and said "So...Geogin...tell us your story!" Leelo, Ferny, and Dawe nodded together in agreement. "Well..." Geogin started. "It begins like this..."  
  
Geongin awoke in the stable. But not the stable she had originally slept in. The stall door was closed and moonlight fell in. She rose, confused. She saw Kort in a stall in front of her, looking unhappy. He shook his head vigerously, looking angry. "Why are you...I assume your Kort by your looks and scent" said Geogin, amazed. "Yes. I was kidnapped...like you" Kort replied. Geogin was shocked. "We have got to escape!" she said. "I know" Kort replied. "I've been studying the human and the locks all day. I think I can pick that lock and break it open with my horn if you will do the same for me...tomorrow". "Of course" Geogin said. They both lay down and closed their eyes. Tomorrow...  
  
In the day, Kort his head over the stall door and with a swift blow with his metalic horn on the lock it broke and the door swung open. Geogin stepped out and did the same. Geogin went first and burst through the two doors where humans would come in and out of. They both charged, passing a brown unicorn who looked after them, dumbfounded. Geogin felt they should of freed him but they had been spotted by Rowle. He shouted and raced into the barn and got a bridle on the unicorn, Jake, and charged after them. It was a flat our race. At the mile point, all three unicorns started sweating hard. After another mile, Jake slowed extremly. Finally he and his rider were only a speak in the distance behind the two. They escaped. Finally they stopped under an willow tree. Geogin collapsed under it while Kort guarded outside, eyes flicking right and left.  
  
Lest nodded at the story. He sighed, unhappy about his two fellows kidnapping. He turned and stared into the distance. "Well Geogin. I think we should leave. And you too Kort" Leelo said. "May I come for a while on your journey too?" Celisty said giving a bashful glace at Kort. Leelo giggled on the inside. "Yes. We are going to the dark one hide out. Come...let us leave" Leelo replied. Lest came back to reality and the now group of seven charged out from the river, heading onward towards their journey, inching ever closer towards their goal of defeating Yolise. Only three more quarters of the travel.  
  
(Notes: Yes, short chappie...but don't worry...Ok, and I know LightFoot, I'm bad with spelling and grammer and that, but one of my betas did all the correcting so you can blame her. But...I'm not writing any more on this story until I get 15 reveiws...Thats right 15! BWUHAHAHAHAHA) 


	6. The Ranch

The six unicorns made haste in their journey. Already they had faced alarming events and dangers and they weren't even halfway done. Their weary legs carried them for about two miles before they came upon a ranch. All the paint on the land was peeling off whatever object it decorated. The fence surrounding the land was white. The house probably where the humans were was also white. There was a long and wide barn that was supposed to be a bright red but looked a dull orange. In the only gap on the fence surrounding the barn their was a sign hanging from the archway. It read 'Welcome To Dudley's Stud Ranch'.

Shock exploded in the two stallions and the two older mares. The two young mares however had never been told of what a stud ranch was because no one told them what it was. "Quick, make haste around the ranch" whispered Lest hurriedly. The other five obeyed and they went around. After traveling about half a mile they decided to rest. They wanted to make sure none of the ranch men would come out this far. So they sent of Geogin and Fernly to go see.

After a little bit they came upon a fenced off area. Curious, the mares followed it around a bit. They spotted a figure at last. It seemed to have spotted them too. As it came closer, the two saw it was a white stallion, his eyes sparkling. He was young, in fact probably only a half year older than Geogin. "Good day m'ladys. What brings you here to my homely pasture?" he asked. "We were seeing if any danger was in the area" said Geogin instantly. Fernly gave Geogin a firm kick in her hind shin. Geogin got the point.

"What your names?" the stag asked.

"I'm Geogin and this is Fernly" Geogin replied. The stallion smiled and put his head over the fence.

"I am Zoe. Pleased to meet you Geogin and Fernly." As the stallion smiled softly, Dawe came through the brush and spotted the three. Alarmed, he strode forth and bared his teeth to the other stallion. Zoe took a few steps back, obviously not as aggressive as Dawe. Dawe ushered the two mares back to the group with swift nips. They got back the group.

"There is another stallion in the area, but he is fenced" reported Geogin. The other immediately began conversing while the two mares hung back. When they were done and settled down everyone fell asleep but Geogin. After an hour or two she did but woke again in three hours, the others still fast asleep. Curious, she arose and headed in the direction she thought the white brute to be. She did read a fence. But when she saw a stallion, in wasn't the white one. He was much older, and mouse colored. Spotting the female, this old one came fast and slammed into the fence. Geogin leaped back. A mad look was in the others eye. It was desperation. For what, Geogin would never know, for Lest and Dawe arrived on the sink. Both, made deep lashed on the others breast. He turned and fled to the other side of the pasture while the two stags lead Geogin back with harsh nips.

"We shall have to have one of us older ones stay awake to make sure no one gets in trouble" Lest said giving Geogin a wary look. Lest stood and watched them all, especially Geogin. He was first to be posted to make sure no one left to face danger.

When Geogin feel asleep, she felt deeply distrusted. She also felt hurt. They still thought her a little filly who needed to be kept out of trouble. Well, she'd show them someday. She was a mare now. And that meant big trouble for this journey.

(Notes: Yes, I gave in. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'll post a new one tomarrow or something like that...) 


	7. A Deserted Lake

The group of unicorns traveled on. The journey way about a bit less half over but it had just begun. The band traveled through fresh feilds and grazed bountifully. But their luck turned worse when all the beauty ended and sand stretched as far as their unicorn eyes could see. The crossing wouldn't be easy.

Puzzled, Geogin took one step onto the sand. Her hoof sunk ankle deep. With a sharp pull she pulled it out. "It will not be easy to cross this sand" Leelo murmered quietly. Celisty looked nervous. Most Celestial unicorns had never been to the deserted part of the gap. "Don't panic! We can get across if we gallop across quickly" Lest said sharply. But Celisty had already sped off across the sands. The others followed, hoping to reach the destination soon.

They ran. Ran as long as Geogin had run when fleeing the unicorn catcher. Longer. Farther. Soon they were slowing, their hooves sinking deeping with each step. Finally they stopped. The sun was high when they started out. Now it was setting. They were going Northwest. To the enemy. Hunger over too them. Leelo and Dawe, who didn't graze as much to watch Geogin, were regreting. Hunger overtook them as twilight came.

"Is there an end!" Geogin cried. They had rested enough! She sped off against the others protests. The had to reach an end! They galloped on for anouther hour and then slowed down down down to the same slow pace. Finally, as the moon reached its pick Lest told them to halt. "Tomarrow we will continue" he said. And so Dawe kept watch. In the morning, the horses has sunk a bit and had to struggle to get their feet out or stand up.

They bolt again. Trying to reach the end. Suddenly, the leader of the pack, Geogin, cried out "I see grass!" They sped up, hunger and excitment drived the herd. They reached the lushious grass. Like fillys and colts they whinnied and reared and bucked and neighed with glee. Zoe even rolled about in the grass. They halted for an hour, filling their stomechs at last. They carried on at a slower pace, happier. Fuller. More energy. They lazily went forth until they saw a lake. They stepped to the sandy shore and drank and they galloped and reared and swam. They all splashed and ran about, happy to get a drink. But, they had to get around the lake to keep going.

And so they did. They travel off. Then, Zoe challenged Dawe to a race and sped off. Dawe whinnied and ran after. But he skidded to a stop when a sharp squeal reached his ears. Zoe was sinking right into the earth. Quicksand! The water of the lake had washed onto the sand and make it sinking. But, unlike its name suggested, the sand was slowly eating Zoe up.

Now, a normal horse on the other side of the gap would have died. But, unicorns are not normal. They are intelligent and help their fellows. As though it was placed there, Dawe spotted a large stick in the sand nearby. He bit on one end like a dog and offered the other to Zoe. Zoe took the stick and Dawe pulled. Zoes fore hooves came up, but the stick came out of Dawe mouth. At that moment the rest came up. Dawe hastily lunged and grabbed the stick. Zoe had got one for hoof on solid earth again now but the other was sinking again.

Dawe pulled again. And this time, Zoe got herself free! Sand was all over her body. The band let out a sigh of relief. "Wash off the sand. We will go around the sand. It will take a bit longer to get around the lake but we can do it" Lest said. They other agreed. But Kort rolled his eyes as though bored with Lests leader attitude.

As twilight fell they made it around the lake at last. They were going into anouther forest. The trees were thick. And knotted. They came onto a clearing. "We rest here" Lest said. The group obeyed. Lest faintly smiled. They had braved so many dangers and finally they were accepting Lest as their leader. Like most stallions, Lest always wanted to be a band stallion. And now, in this journey, he felt he had been appointed one.

They others slept and Lest felt himself think about it all. How far they had come. And how far they had to go. They would make it. No turning back. He smiled wanly again.

Dawn came and the group got going. 'No' Lest thought, 'the herd'. The 'herd' noticed how happy Lest was. They got out of the small forest and came onto more plains. But these weren't just plains. These were the plains. "The plains in which he died" Kort whispered. "You knew?" Geogin asked, suprised. "The news traveled fast when Karlo died" Kort said sadly. The group stared for a moment. As though, hesitent they might perish too if they came across the endless plains.

Finally, it was Celisty who said, "Lets go. Across"

The others nodded gravely and took their first steps into the plains where a great hero fell, and a great evil was known. 


	8. Cescil & Sasha

The group was reminded much of the desert as they made slow progress over the desert. They were allowed to go slow as the pleased due to the unending supply of grass. The feast was unending and every morning the grass was moist with morning dew. Their thirst and hunger not a problem gave the unicorns, both celestial and demonic alike, more time to think of the journey ahead and how they would made the route to the land of darkness, wherever in may be.

Around the fifth day of traveling through the plains, which were a far many miles so it was natural it would take many days to get over, they began to wonder why they had met no unicorns at all. They should have at least run into one unicorn leaving in this blissful place. But all five days going towards the target they met no one, which would be good since both Celestial and darkened unicorns were their enemys, save for Celesty who was their friend and friend to Celestial unicorns, being one herself.

But, around the seventh day of traveling, which meant around the last few days before exiting the plains and getting on to the next leg of their journey, they at last saw some unicorns. But as the neared, the large group started stampeding. And at that moment all seven unicorn raised their eyes high in surprise. No. Not unicorns. These were regulars. No horns. They must of fallen through the gap.

'Or' Fern thought, 'they were lead through the gap'. The group watched and at last they saw the disturbance. Two dogs, a rarity on this side of this side of the gap at this particular part of the world, because humans didn't like living here because the soil wasn't much for farming and if anyone got sick there were no doctors. So, no humans, no dogs. They were two collies, for sure. One was a regular collie, brown and white with tulip ears. A female, too. The other was male, black and white, with ears that arched with a sharp point. A Border Collie. And they were herding their horses, by golly! They were driving them towards the other end of the plains, where their masters farm would lie .

Since the master could communicate with his dogs much better on this side of the gap, the dogs had a very clear idea of their mission. Collect the horses and bring them in for the young ones to be branded or sold. One of those people who preferred horses to unicorns.  
The dogs, who hadn't seen unicorns since they all left and was only recent bought, wouldn't know one by sight. So they, naturally, would think them a horse to be taken in and branded or sold.

The male raged forward barking madly at the unicorns. "Get in the group now or I'll rip your throat open" snarled the dog.

Kort snorted and laughed. "No" he replied simply to the dog.

"You asked for it" snarled the dog. He lunged for Kort's throat. Reluctant to kill an innocent creature that simply didn't know better, he blocked the dogs attack with his horn. The dog landed on his feet, ears pinned, growling.

"What are you waiting for" called the female collie.

"These ones are rebellious" snarled the male back.

"Well show them who's in charge"

"I couldn't."

"Why?"

"That thing on his head. The pointy thing. He stopped me."

The female snorted. "Useless males" she murmured and she came forward. Now, collies are very close to wolves. Their attack style was bite quick then slash and leap away. Then repeat. Wear the enemy down. Make them obey. Show them they are master, and the enemy is the lowly servant.

The she-collie lunged for Lests throat. Master valued females over males as a herd consisted of one male and many females. But unicorns are often different and not close to this instinct. They more often that not chose one unicorn to be their mate.

Lest quickly blocked the collies attacked with a quick movement of his horn. He arched his neck over his throat and flipped the collie by shoving its head upward, tipping her back.

Lest calmly surveyed the she-collies shock at the unicorns behavior. "See?" the male said smugly.

"Shut up, Cescil" snarled the she-collie. The male, Cescil as she called him, stayed silent but grinned and rolled his eyes.

"So" snarled the she-collie. "Were at a stand off."

"No, we are simply not part of your odd creatures over there" Lest replied.

"We are" Kort spoke up, "Unicorns. And those 'pointy things' on our heads are horns."

The collies were puzzled. Master had mention unicorns but they had no idea they were like horses with horns. They though of beasts that hunted. Carnivores. They were mistaken.

"We have no fight with you, dogs. We are simply journeying, in fact, the same way you are" Lest said.

"Hes right, no fight with us Sasha" spoke up the male dog.

The female snarled at him and pinned her ears.

"I propose we go with you till the end of the valley and then we splitour separate ways."

The fae, Sasha, considered. "Fine" she said grudgingly.

"And if you try to keep us from leaving" snarled Kort, "You can't stop us."

"Yeah" spoke up Dawe, glaring.

"Humph" Sasha said. "I am Sasha and my mate here is Cescil."

"I am Lest. This is Leelo, Geogin, Fern, Dawe, Kort, and our bright friend here, Celesty."

Each unicorn in turn bobbed their head when their name said.

"We will join the herd until the end" Lest said.

And so, the unicorns were introduced to the herd. And they started on their way again, in a large a safe number, with two dogs as their guardians. 


	9. Parting Company

The unicorns, being mellow creatures, went with the herd and the two dogs towards the ranch. The mares were friendly enough, epically to Geogin. The few stallions rounded up however were entirely sour towards the three male unicorns. Obviously, a horses natural instinct to keep their mares theirs was stronger when these three new stallions showed up. They were constantly watching the other stallions, making sure they didn't socialize with their mares. But the stallions were eager to collect such powerful and healthy mares like the unicorns in their herd, even Celesty whos odd coloring puzzled most of the herd.

Ah, they dreamed of such strong mares, such powerful beasts being their lead mares. But, of course, the unicorn females feelings were farther expanded than that. They knew they were not owned, too strong were they to be owned by one that owned many. They were one of a kind, female unicorns. Unbound, free.

At the moment, the dogs though they had the unicorns. Prisoners. Ah, they were theirs. Their master would be pleased. Just imagine his grinning face as he saw the stock they herded into the pin. Oh yes. They would certainly be getting a few bones for this.  
Some of the mares were getting their own rebellious thoughts too. These unicorns were free. The mares did what they wanted, when they wanted, where they wanted. No stallion though of them as a part of the collection. They were one stallion unicorns. The mares...they wanted to be one stallion horses. But of course, this couldn't happen. Half would be sold. It would be risky for a stallion to not have a band. But, this is a different story, for perhaps anouther time.

After two more days of travel something happened. The reason why no other unicorns inhabited the plains. In the distance a strong black unicorn was seen. A scout sent to kill any Celestial unicorn spotted. And Celesty was the only prey as far as they knew.

The stallion spotted them from a distance. His horse was dipped in poison and ready to strike down the enemy. But the stallion hesitated when he saw others of his kind there. The unicorns whispered among themselves, nervous. This was the enemy.

Sasha and Cescil however were all too eager to get this unicorn to join the group too. They charged forward. "Get in line" snarled Cescil.

The beast laugh. "Who's to make me? You?"

"Yes" snapped Cescil. He lunged for the unicorns jugular. But before the dog could get it anouther unicorn horn stopped him.  
Lest. He knew all to well what this unicorn would do to the dog. Kill. With one swipe some poison would get into the lad. He would die if the slash alone did not kill. As lest looked the other into the eyes he recognized him. He met him. Fought him.

The brute realized too, these were no friends. Outnumbered again. The unicorn fled away. Rightly so.

The band reached a ranch after three more days. Nothing eventful happened. The dogs herded the horse in to a pasture but the unicorns refused.

"Get in" snapped Sasha angrily.

"No Sasha" Cescil said suddenly. "Did you see that other one I tried to bring in. His 'horn'", Cescil looked at Kort and then continued, "Had that purple stuff that master has a jar of and calls poison. Remember he said he got it from something called a 'rattlesnake'? I think they saved me."

"Correct" cried out Kort. "That is what we use."

The other unicorns looked at Kort, puzzled. "I was a troop for him." Kort said. "I was patrolling and was caught by humans. I thought if I ever escaped the farm I wouldn't go back. It was very sad and wickedness covered the fortress."

"A castle!" Fern cried out. "A big castle? How did they get it?"

"Twas abandoned and so we used it to hide out in" Kort supplied simply.

The dogs sighed. The unicorns stopped talking and looked at the collies.

"We leave you now. Thank you for escorting us this far. We must leave you though" Lest said to them.

"Come visit anytime" Cescil said with a wide grin. Sasha just snorted but the unicorns sensed she was interested in talking to the unicorns again maybe.

So the seven unicorns left their dog friends, Cescil and Sasha at their home. Although they didn't know it, they were but a day from leaving the valley. But in they day, they would come to appreciate meeting some new creatures and making new friends both equine and canine. 


	10. The Barrens

Authors Pre-note: I realize I've been changing names a bit. I'm eternally sorry for any confusion caused. Zoe is SUPPOSED to be Fern. I'm so sorry and will try to edit it later.

When our travelers left the valley they met the yang to it's lush ying. The earth became hard a a dark, dark brown. Cracks ran through it, thirsty for what little water a thick, pea soup fog could bring. What little plant life there was was dead. The trees were shamefully barren, and tumbleweeds blew by our seven friends.

Lest led the band, as always. Each step brought a little puff of dust around his hoof, the earth crying silently for sweet moisture. The sweet sun was blotted out, and the fog deafened all sound, so that to speak was like a sin. All of them looked nervous, but Celesty was a ship-wreck. The spooky atmosphere frightened her. She almost spoke aloud how she wished she could go home.

The only one who looked at ease in the wasteland was Kort. After a few minutes he spoke. "We are very close to the castle now. We should cross a a river we call Mud Creek and a gathering of trees called Dead Point. I will lead you. I'll show you the back entrance to the grounds so guards won't spot you. But first, we need to make a pit stop at Tar Scar."

Indeed, Tar Scar was rightfully named. It looked at if black blood was bleeding from the earth. The tar was warm, too hot for an average horse, but not hot enough for a unicorn to step in.

"Don't worry, we don't need to jump in it or anything" Kort assured the others. "But Celesty needs to roll in it. You coat must be black or else we'll have to leave you behind. The tar is quick drying, as it's on magically evil ground, and looks just like you have a black coat and horn. It doesn't come off easy unless you wash yourself in the Celestial magic waters."

Celesty looked horrified at having to get dirty. But her sense of duty came before her sense of hygiene. With a encouraging nod from Leelo, and a smile from Fern, she lowered herself and rolled in the pit. Then she dipped he horn in. Examining her, Kort smiled. "Good. Even your mane looks the part, although it's a bit greasy. Don't worry, they'll think you just haven't bathed in awhile."

The last part did nothing to help Celestys mood. "We'll already about 6 miles from there. At two mile off, I'll scout ahead for scouts. On the way, let me explain the system and how to infiltrate them." Kort smiled at them all.

"Kort" Geogin suddenly spoke. "Why are you helping us? We've never questioned your ways but it's odd. Tell us why before the plan."

Kort looked surprised at such a question out of the blue. He shrugged and then began his tale. It is short, as his plans for taking down the killer of the idol Karlo, who died right in the Endless Plains they had just surpassed.

"I was born when Yolise turned 1 year old. He had declared himself king, even though an average unicorn can't even be half-way mature at one year. He began his sort of boot camp by personally training the new batch of black colts and filly's in the way of hating. He told them of Karlos killing of Carhi, his father who wrought terror and death on many unicorns. It didn't matter what type, as you know. Normal, Celestial or Dark. We were trained to fight, to kill, to hate. Love was a rarity among us, while hate is a rarity in Celestial. The sun blocked out vision of the dark unicorns by sending eternal fog. When I turned a year old and Yolise 2, we discovered venom.

Someone was bitten had killed by a rattlesnake. Yolise killed one and discovered a purple running along with the blood. He soon began using human bowls to kill this in so the poison could be stored and kept. Yolise was very fond of me because...well...I'm his half brother."

A gasp went up among them all. Celestys eye bulged and Ferns jaw dropped.

Kort quickly started up his story again.

"So he promoted me to Sargent when I was a year and a half and had me in charge of finding a bringing in rattlers to prove myself. I think he helped me though, as he probably secretly wanted me to be his second-hand unicorn. I easily caught many snakes and never once was bitten. When I became 2 and a half, officially a stallion, I was able to be proclaimed Beta in the clan (I'll explain about that later), and second to claim the throne if Yolise foals were all dead with him. Of course, at this point, Yolise had taken a mate, Morince. She gave birth to a filly, who would be first to claim the throne. Shortly afterward I was sent on a mission to scout past the endless plains and desert and was caught by humans. And here I am."

Everyone stared at Kort after the tale. Shaking his head he sighed.

The band continued on their path towards the danger. Kort rested his vocals on the way. They ate the bark on bushes when hungry, although it wasn't tasty it filled their stomachs. The end of the journey was near and the tension of a war was high. 


	11. Sworn Enemies

A/N: We resume our story with Kort leading the way and chatting at they go. They approach the castle of Yolise the despised. Thanks for the reviews my people! Keep them coming and I'll keep giving!

Kort struck up the plan for getting everyone into the castle. Everyone listened intently, although Kort could feel their trust had weakened when they learned that he was the half brother of the enemy. He hadn't really answered Geogins question, but no one seemed to notice.

"There are many rankings in our system. That's to accommodate the many recruits in our system. Yolise and his mate are the Alphas, while his foal is heir. I am Beta, adviser and next to the throne if all three of them perish. Then there is Zeta, Gamma, Omega, Generals, Troops, and Scouts. Everyone starts a scout and works their way up. The castle back entrance leads to the storage room of all the poison. Our official mark is the poison horn, so you must dawn some poison on your horn.

We should wait a week and gain the trust of Yolise. Our story is, if he asks, that I recommended you to join and described how great the empire was and what privileges all would get when they took of the snooty Celestials," he showed an apologetic look to Celesty, "and we made out living in their wonderful lands, becoming the new Celestial unicorns and living in harmony forever. From the storage you'll go the recruit section. I'll get someone to handle you from there. I'll head to confront Yolise and report my findings. I won't mention you or your plan. I swear on my life, I am helping you."

They all looked grim. Soon the came to Mud River. It was named rightly so, as Tar Scar had. The river looked too bad to drink from. But, to the horror of poor prim Celesty, who's primness had been destroyed during the mission, Kort lowered his head and drank deep from the water. "The water may be foul, but it's all we got. We've no home with fresh springs and lovely waterfalls" he explained. His voice was bitter, and they all knew he suffered the shame of his fore-fathers bad choices in life. Pity burned in his fellows hearts. Rage at Yolise for condemning him her was in Korts.

Soon they found the tree marking. "You wait here. I'll scout a head a furlong and return. It will be slow going until we get to the castle. If I run into trouble, you'll hear me laugh very loudly while I stall someone. Go around me and sneak ahead. I'd catch up with in but a few moments."

"If were supposed to be new recruits, then why are we sneaking in?" asked he ever blunt Dawe.

Kort stared at Dawe. "Because no one ever joins Yolise willingly until their heart is filled with utter hatred" he stated simply.

Everything went well until but a mile from the fortress. Kort scouted ahead as usual, his wind low from jumping back and forth between his friends and scouting. His heart filled with dread when he spotted him. He stood through the mist sneering at Kort. Korts mortal enemy. Him. Jestin. The famed killer of Karlo.

"Back from your expedition Korty?" asked the smirking Jestin. He knew Kort hated being called that. His brother had often said that to him as a colt.

"I see your back too Jester" he said coolly back. Jestin, in turn, hated being called that.

"Lately I feel my missions are better. Yours seem to have gone to the...dogs." 'Jester' put an emphasis of dogs.

It dawned on Kort. Jestin was there. He was the one who has attempted to kill Celesty to be stopped by him and his friends. Korts mind raced. He had to think a of a lie. Very, very fast.

"Why" continued Jestin accusatory, "did you protect the enemy?"

"She was my prey and rightfully I got to kill her" he defended. He grinned fakely and laughed. His laugh boomed and echoed in the quiet landscape. Jestin raised an eye (unicorns don't have eyebrows so he had to raise an eye).

"What exactly is funny" he sneered.

"Oh, the memory of her painful death thrills me to the bone!" he replied merrily. Jestin stared blankly but seemed to take the excuse.

"What about those others with you? They hadn't our mark" his enemy pressed.

"Mere prisoners" he replied lightly. "I've picked up another on the border of the Barrens and the Endless Plains. She's awfully filthy too. Of course, not as filthy as you. Soon they'll all be scouts and they will be one with evil"

Jestin looked furious. He himself had accomplished nothing, Kort could tell from the look on his face, while Kort had supposedly killed a Celestial unicorn and recruited six new unicorns. That explained why Yolise had made him Beta in the ranks of evil.

Jestin soon left after an embarrassing half-minute silence. Kort let out a sigh of relief and set off back to the trees. He saw they were gone. He let his nose to their ground. Their scent mingled with another. What was that smell? When he recognized it his heart faltered and he felt utterly shocked.

Blood had meekly stained and fed the thirsty earth. Some one had been attacked! 


	12. Infiltration

Slipping through the grass was a large rat. It was as big as a dinner plate and looked nasty as everything else in the barren area. In fat, it had been known to attack anything that got in it's way. Due to the boor supply of grains and nuts, it had adapted and become a predator, preying on the poisonous snakes and even trying to attack the unicorn residents. It was the constant annoyance all of the dark terrain, for they couldn't even get a good kick in on that slippery little fellow.

That day, Mr. Rat had come upon a forest of pulsing black bracken, just frozen and smelling of fear. Well, Rat always liked to think he paralyzed everything with fear when he showed his face. And so, he decided to attack the the living dead things. There was a echoing cry and he scurried out of the way as a stampede was started and the bracken sprang to life. Mr. Rat watched his meal leave and twitched his whiskers unhappily, then left to go find some stringy snake for dinner.

Well, just two minutes after the band left, Kort found the blood. Panic settled in and he followed the scent, charging towards his friends. He searched for a good while through the mist until he rammed right into a good chunk of flesh which yelped and wheeled around. It was Dawe, who was limping due to a harsh rodent wound in his ankle.

Kort was very relieved when he heard the tale of the ugly rat who attacked the stallion with a surprising rage. Dawe expressed clear exasperation over everyone fussing and said "I hope that hideous thing doesn't have a disease." That certainly stared a bigger fret in the unicorns, especially by Fernly. Dawe seemed to tolerate her more than the others.  
Kort decided it was safe to travel together now. They finally saw the castle, towering above them. It was old, with dead vines seeping up and over the stone walls, and crusty black wallflowers wilted on it. They hadn't yet even seen the inside and were already impressed by the abandoned fortress in the solitude of the harsh landscape.

Kort ran his horn along the stones until he found a particular one and pushed it in. "Only the ranked know of this, as everyone fears that a conspiracy will rise and a group will escape." he explained from the worried glances cast about by the unicorns. They entered a dark room which the demons could easily see in, but poor Celesty found herself squinting and bumping into her fellows and smashing her sensitive nose into the walls.

Dawe started to say something very rude to Celesty when she knocked into him for the fifth time when Lest finally came to her aid and talked her around her friends and the walls. They came to a row of bowls on the floor in no particular line, but filled with a oozy purple liquid and streaks of red. They were puzzled how a unicorn could ever use a bowel when he explained and pointed out the crusty bits of rope twined in through holes.

"Most of the unicorns are part snake collectors, part army horse, and part scout. The trick is you pick up a snake by the tail end and whip it down to the earth hard as you can. It will kill the snake but keep the head in tact. Then you bring the snake to the crushing room where you stamp down the snakes head and the poison flows out. That's why there's part blood as well. Then the snake is thrown into a pit and is done being dealt with. Everyone is careful not to get it on the twine for otherwise the ranked, who only perform carrying duty once a week, will bring it here where they store the poison for missions or when someones poison gets washed away by accident"  
It seemed Yolise had thought through everything and everyone was dismayed that anyone could be so through and effective. Kort lead them through a passage way where he carefully pushed some more stoned which caused the door to move as if by magic to accept him. They slipped through several stone ways in this fashion until Kort told them to be quite. They slipped into a huge court area where hundreds of demon unicorns were laying all over the place. More impressive where the huge ones that towered over the sleeping recruits and made sure no one was awake and talking. Kort told them to lay down and they swiftly did. He informed them he'd be back and to hold on.

From there, Kort parted company with the five demons and the Celestial unicorn for a long time and he worked to complete his part of the mission he had discussed with them on the way... 


	13. The Plan I

A/N: The following two chapters take place at the same time, so if you decide to read the next one before this one, it's perfectly okay.

"...And I'm sure that there are more of them about" ended the Beta general, nervously scuffling his hooves.

Yolise boredly lounged about, using the grandest room in the palece as his personal roost. It was, really, the throne room for the King and Queen, which had just been taken for it's beautiful velvet carpeting and comferable feel. He had not really been listening to his brothers report, for he considered his older sibling rather boring, but extreamely loyal.

Yolise was an extremely intelligent king. He had created a ranking style based of the wolf system, which was nearly impossible to learn unless you befriended them (or threatened them). That was why it was plain he was king and Kort, although the oldest, was...not. I kid you not, Yolise was very sharp, and he goaded it over everyone who would listen. The stallion was very young, and had not yet guided the appropriate grace that Kort already had.

"That's all very fine, Kort. Good scout, and whatever. Take the next day off to rest from your journey."

Yolise watched his brother scuttle quickly from the room and wondered, mildly, if something was troubling him. Then, shrugging the thought away, he decided to go play with his son.

The furthest thing form Korts mind was play. He was rushing outside the castle by the secret passage to complete his task. His job was difficult, for he would need to work with no rest if the rebellion was to work. Swiftly, he stepped outside and took a deep breath of air and began to search. He first found a ugly patch of brush. He pawed the pacted earth vigerously and dug it all out by the roots. Clenching it in his teeth, he lugged it all the way back to the fortress and left it just inside the passage before returning for the rest.

Kort repeated this process several time in various areas. He gathered everything from dead plants to disfigured logs. He would of broke down in exhaustion by the end of it, if it were not the knowledge that he would never be without fear until he escaped. Soon he had a pile of bark that filled the whole poison room, forcing one to painfully manuever around it to get to and from the inner castle.

The stallion took a quick breather, shaking off the sweat and resting his weary limbs. Finally, he jerked himself to his feet as he found himself nodding off. No, there was time to sleep! He began dragging his part down, down, down through the stoneways and he placed it in various areas about the ways. Back and forth, he walked and ran and jogged, never ceasing his endless job. Kort returned to find but two bushes left. He tugged these two outside and nestled them against the walls on the hind right side, in the single blind spot of the building.

How did he know this? Do you need to ask? He was, after all, the most knowledgable uniconr in the palace.

At last, at the very end of his complicated task, Kort lay down in his room, and let out a deep sigh. It had taken him the entire day, and he was exhausted. The physical work had sapped all his strength, and he barely made it to his private quarters through the castle to collapse and sleep. He could just doze off for an hour or two before the mayham began. 


	14. The Plan II

It was quite easy for them to look nervous for, in truth, they were totally terrified. It all sounded so easy in the beginning. Go stop the monster from killing more unicorns. But now they were here and the bravest one among them was the sibling of the killer.

The lay there for an eternity it seemed, although, quite unbelievabley, it was only an hour. A huge, lumbering demon strode up to them and spoke in a loud, commanding voice. "Time to rise and shine, dunderheads. Be ready to be split into groups."

From there, the next fifteen minutes were a blurr. The six were split into three groups of two. Geogin and Dawe, being the smallest two of the group, were placed in poison extraction duty. Fernly and Leelo got to be snake hunters, perhaps the most dangerous job out of three. Celesty and Lest, being the largest and tallest of them, were sized up to be a pair of guards patrolling the castle.

Now, I must take the time to explain that all the following will be happening as Kort hunted all sorts of greenery while the six went about just blending in. They had no espically hard manual labor, just sitting around and waiting.

Lest and Celesty were the only two that got a horn dipping, since they were meant to be defense for any intruders. They stood in a long line and dipped thier steel-like horns into the gooey sap until it was throughly poisoned and ready for battle. Then they went out side the castle and endlessly circled around it like vultures, thier ears perked forwards, eyes alert, and always tensed for any sign of something strange.

The most eventful thing that day was a histerical mare made a break from the tireless, repeating work. The small form bolted out of the doors past Lest. He hesitated, and then a harsh voice behind him spoke. "Go after her, you idiot."

Lest whipped around to see a unicorns about as tall as Dawe, perhaps a bit taller. His was lean and had an arch about his neck. He carried his head proudly, and was escorted by two of the titan sized generals that gave out jobs. There was no mistaking that arch though. It was exactly the same as Korts. It was the terrible king, Yolise.

Lest knew if he didn't act, thier jig would be up. Turning on his heel as quick as a flash, he bolted towards the dot in the distance, running as if the hounds of hell were on his heels. He easily caught the run away. He halted her by leaping in her path. The mare reared up and struck at him with hoof and horn. He parried easily and spoke reassuring words, telling her it would be all right. Lest lead the quaking unicorn back to the waiting Yolise.

Yolise spoke but three words. "To the dungeons." And with that, the mare was lead off to the pits below the fortress to her doom.

Meanwhile, Fernly and Leelo were having thier own delima out in the misty, crack plains, searching for the ever elusive serpants of the land. They unearthed one that Leelo quickly killed with a swift blow with her hoof. However, one they found a second one, trouble arose.

Fernly sighed as she stepped over a sucken log, bored out of her mind as she continued her neverending search for the poisonous snakes of the terrian. She was just about to turn and tell Leelo that they should go look elsewhere where she heard a rattle and a menacing hiss. Looking down in suprise, a serpant lunged from under the log and bit her!

It was pure luck that the snake just grazed her hoof so as no poison was inserted. With that a good hard stomp knocked the life out of it. Ferly wrinkled her nose at the limp form, before, with a shudder of disgust, she picked it up by the tail and carried it off towards the castle.

Perhaps the most boring and horrifying job of them all was squishing the snakes for poison. It was all a repeating process, squish, remove body, pass on bowel, repeat. Geogin and Dawe were perhaps the only two who had nothing too frightening happen to them, for thier job was the one where most of the horses went nuts with bordom.

Silently, after they were told they could leave and work was done, they went to the main court and met up with Leelo, Fernly, Lest, and Celesty. Each told about thier experiences, although they all agreed Lests run in with the frightening Yolise was the most disturbing.

Soon, the moon hung high above and most everyone was asleep. That was when they rose and exited through the secret passage once the guards back was turned. It was time to begin the mayham. 


	15. One Shot

The smoke. It stung his eyes, burned his face, choked him. Kort felt his heart well up with terror. He had slept through the plan. It was too late to escape the way he should have. Now the stallion's life was in gamble, it was only a matter of chance whether he would live for this great cause, or would die for it.

Fleeing blindly from his private quarters, down a burning carpet and room, he bumped blindly into walls and other victims of the group of seven's doing. The worst thing was he thought he tripped over what was the charred remains of a body. His stomech squirming, the demon flew into the long hall and down, away from the throne and bursting out the doors, into the courtyard. It was deserted, for those closest to the exit had the pleasure of being the first out. Only those still streaming from the fortress were walking through. Finally, he found the entrance - and exit, an archway. Bolted out, away from the castle, still coughing smoke and blinking away his dead eyelashes. At last, the beaten Kort's knees buckled and he lay on the earth, fainted from light-headedness. It was a matter of chance now.

Meanwhile, the origanal group of heros, as well as Celesty, were outside, waiting for thier target to come out, likely in front for he vauled his life over his large guards. But soon it was just an hour before dawn, the flames were dieing, and no sign of the dreaded Yolise had yet appeared. Lest sighed, turning. "It appears as if we may now -" but he was cut short by a cold voice from the darkness.

"Leaving so soon, traitors?"

It was indeed Yolise, and he was standing there, glowering with a unbound rage at them all. It was clear he had the image of a massacre on mind. Taking a menacing step forward, the King sneered at them.

"You are all going to die today."

Lest leapt forward, locking horns with Yolise. Caught off guard, soon it was a spar. The other five were about to join when they were intercepted by the huge guards and emmerced in thier own struggle of battle.

Parrying, swinging, ducking, each move so careful, precise. They were dancing in the flickering firelight, swinging to and fro in the pirouette of death. Lest was the defender, for Yolise was not just a excellent warrior, he had a horn tipped with a gooey purple. Poison from the snakes.

Lest was wearing down, losing steam. One slip up could cost him and his friend thier lives. The leader was dizzy, exhauseted. Yolise placed a well aimed blow and stuck.

But the King did not hit his intended target. Instead, he struck violet fur, right into the hip of a Celestial unicorn. A cry of shock from the mare, a look of suprise from Yolise, and a roar of rage from Lest were all admitted at once. But quickly, Yolise felt a knife in his heart. Or rather, a horn. Lest had stuck in the confusion.

It was all bedlam after that. The guards fled with no leader, and the six, no, the origanal five went looking for thier friend Kort. They could not find him. It was too dark, too many demons. Soon the dawn came, and for the first time in a long time, the mist around the stone castle was lifted, and at last, the sky could be sought. Mourning thier friend Celesty and fretting about Kort, they started off to the rising sun.

But shortly they were joined by another, a tall stallion, whom did not honorabley give his life for this mission, but very well but his way of it on the line, and earned a new one. One of freedom, blue skies, and plains of sweetness.

They had all fought and won the war of peace. The battle was over. They could all go home. 


	16. Epilogue

In the endless plains, herds of demons lived. They were free, free of slavery. For the time being, at least. They stood on the fields of green and the wind blew through thier mane, and smiles were exchanged all around around.

"..And that is how Celesty and friends save all the unicorns" finished an old, grey demon, coughing harshly with it. The foals gathered around his did not mind, however, for they loved thier story teller. Chattering and gossiping, one shrill voice stood out from them all. It was a filly, one with a rather high voice and spindely legs longer than all the others.

"Tell another on Grandpa Kort!"

"Oh no. It's getting late, Lilith. You should be getting back to your mother and to bed!"

A loud 'Awwww' was emitted from all the children, and soon the cornecorpia was dispersed as they all returned to thier respective places. Kort rose and escorted young Lilith to her mother, Celesty. Indeed, Kort and Geogin had named thier first daughter after the lost unicorn whom had so helped them all. The herds of black unicorns were frequent across the lands, and a few went to human homes as well, happily excelling the lives of many people on both sides of the Gap.

Kort sighed after dropping off his grand-daughter and lay under a willow, gazing at a red sunset. "Oh Lest. If only you were here to see him" the stallion murmered, smiling at his grave marker and closing his tired eyes.

For there, standing proudly, was thier son, one by the name of Karlo, bold and brave, and a great leader for the herd in place of his father. Legends lived on, and all passed away into the next world with great peace.

For, though many tales of the humans and thier unicorn companions saving this side of the Gap, there are few of the unicorns by themselves, let alone demons. But they did, and thier story might never of reached your ears, had not those who still pass between the sides still exsist and managed to coax the tale of passion out of a very old, and very wise Kort.

The End 


End file.
